Control valve for hand pumps



March 17, 1970 .1. D. CLEVENGER ETAL 3,5005761 CONTROL VALVE FOR HAND PUMPS Filed July 1, 1968 III-lll!! United States Patent U.S. Cl. 103--188 8 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A reciprocable plunger hand pump has a floating sleeve slidable in a barrel and limited in axial movement relative to the plunger by a check valve integral with the sleeve, spaced from the plunger and alternately engageable with spaced valve seats surrounding the plunger. A liquid seal is established when the sleeve is wedged between the plunger and a collar; at the same time, the valve closes liquid inlet orifices in the plunger by engagement with one of the seats. The collar has a skirt adapted to support a cover cap and shiftable to mount container caps of various top thick- It is an important object of our present invention to provide a hand pump for liquids which is instantly responsive upon depression of a reciprocable plunger so as to open a check valve, admitting liquid into the tubular plunger and almost instantaneously admitting air to a vent, preventing collapse of the liquid container into which the pump extends.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a hand pump having a check valve for the reciprocable plunger which is iioatingly carried by the plunger for complete freedom of movement in substantial absence of frictional losses by virtue of disposition of the valve in spaced relationship to the plunger around a reduced diameter portion thereof having liquid inlet orifices therein, the valve being engageable with the plunger only at spaced valve seats surrounding the plunger adjacent the outermost and innermost ends of the inlet orifices.

A further important object of our instant invention is the provision of a hand pump of the aforementioned character which utilizes an outermost marginal end of the pumping piston or sleeve, wedged between the plunger and a collar during non-use such as a to form a liquid seal.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a hand pump having a novel collar arrangement which includes a skirt attached to the collar through a exible web such that the skirt serves to frictionally mount a cover cap and permit mounting of container caps of various top wall thicknesses.

Other important objects will be made clear or become apparent as the following specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE l is a longitudinal cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale of a control valve for hand pumps made pursuant to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. l but on a smaller scale;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 1, showing the position of various parts when the plunger is depressed;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

The hand pump illustrated in the drawing has a tubular barrel provided with a liquid receiving port 12 at one end thereof and a plurality of air vents 14 adjacent the opposite end of the barrel 10. A collar 16, initially separate from the barrel 10, extends into the open end of barrel 10 opposite to port 12, terminating in an innermost annular edge 18 outwardly of the air vents 14. Interlocking ribs and grooves 20 between the collar 16 and the barrel 10 serve to attach the collar 16 to the barrel 10.

A tubular plunger 22 extends into the barrel 10 through the collar 16 for reciprocable movement toward and away from the port 12. Plunger 22 has a discharge head 24 exteriorly of the barrel 10 which is in turn provided with a liquid outlet 26, communicating with the outermost open end of the plunger 22 by means of a slot 28 in the head 24.

A sleeve 30 loosely surrounding the plunger 22 within the barrel 10 has a small, external, annular bead 31 in sliding engagement with the barrel 10 during reciprocation of the plunger 22. Sleeve 30 has a beveled marginal end 32 and a small, annular, internal bead 33 wedged between the collar 16 and the plunger 22 adjacent the edge 18 of collar 16 to present a liquid seal when the plunger 22 is in its extended position illustrated by FIG. 1.

Plunger 22 is provided with an integral closure 34 at its innermost end. A continuous inwardly facing shoulder 36 of a beveled nature formed on plunger 22 therearound presents one of a pair of seats for a continuous, frustoconical band or valve integral with the sleeve 30 therewithin, band 38 having a first continuous, annular edge 40 adjacent the sleeve 30, such edge 40 engaging the shoulder 36 when the plunger 22 is in the position illustrated by FIG. 3.

Plunger 22 is also provided with a continuous protuberance 42 therearound within the sleeve 30 between the closure 34 and the shoulder 36. Band 38 is provided with a second continuous, free, annular edge 44 spaced from the sleeve 30 and parallel with the first edge 40r thereof in facing relationship to the protuberance 42. The edge 44 engages the protuberance 42 when the plunger 22 is in the extended position shown in FIG. 1, presenting a second seat for the valve or band 38.

Plunger 22 is also provided with a reduced diameter portion 46 within the sleeve 30 between the shoulder 36 and the protuberance 42, portion 46 in turn being provided with a plurality of liquid inlet orifices 48 therearound in the nature of elongated slots extending longitudinally of the plunger 22.

It is particularly noteworthy at this juncture that the band 38 surrounds the reduced diameter portion 46 between shoulder 36 and protuberance 42 but spaced entirely from the portion 46 such as to engage the plunger 22 only at shoulder 36 and at protuberance 42 through edges 40 and 44 respectively of the band 38. Moreover, as noted in FIG. l, the shoulder 36 is axially spaced from the edge 40 only slightly. Therefore, during initial depression of plunger 22, shoulder 36 immediately moves into engagement with edge 40 of band 38, shifting the sleeve 30 inwardly and thereby instantaneously admitting air to vents 14 as the marginal edge 32 and bead 33 of sleeve 30 slip from between the collar 16 and the plunger 22, breaking the liquid seal. The delay in passage of air to vents 14 is 4therefore so inconsequential that all collapse of the liquid container is avoided during the pumping operation.

A ball check valve 50 in the barrel 10 at port 12 prevents ilow of liquid from the barrel 10 through the port 12 during depression of the plunger 22 and permits flow of liquid from the liquid container into barrel 10 through dip tube 52 and port 12 -during extension of the plunger 22. A spring 54 in the barrel 10 between the plunger 22 and the port 12 yielclably maintains plunger 22 extended. One end of the spring 54 surrounds the closure 34 and engages a continuous ledge 56 around the plunger 22 and spaced from the protuberance 42 in facing relationship to the port 12.

Collar 16 has a continuous radial bushing 58 therewithin loosely receiving the plunger 22 and spaced outwardly of the marginal end 32 of sleeve 30. Plunger 22 is provided with a continuous radial stop 60 therearound within the barrel between the bushing 58 and the marginal end 32, spaced from the latter. The stop 60 is engageable with the bushing 58 as shown in FIG. 1 for limiting the extent of outward movement of the plunger 22.

Collar 16 is also provided with a continuous integral web 64 surrounding the plunger 22 exteriorly of the barrel 10, together with a cylindrical skirt 66 integral with the web 64 and terminating in an annular edge 68. Skirt 66 surrounds the barrel 10 and is spaced therefrom in concentric relationship thereto. Barrel 10 has an outturned flange 70 therearound disposed to present a space between the flange 70 and the edge 68 for receiving .the top of a container cap (not shown), the latter of which in turn receives the ange 70 therewithin. The web 64 is flexible, permitting the skirt 66 to shift away from the flange 70 whereby to accommodate container cap tops of various thicknesses in the space between edge 68 and ange 70.

A cover cap 72 enclosing the plunger 22, as well as the head 24, surrounds the skirt 66 as shown in FIG. 1. Skirt 66 may, if desired, have a series of serrations 74 therearound or axial, and cover cap 72 has a number of ribs 76 therewithin which frictionally engage the serrations 74 of the skirt 66.

During storage, shipment, and periods of non-use, the spring 54 holds the plunger 22 extended such as to close the orifices 48 by virtue of protuberance 42 engaging the edge 44 of valve 38. At the same time, the spring 54, through protuberance 42 and edge 44, holds the marginal end 32 and bead 33 of the sleeve 30 wedged between the collar 16 and the punger 22, closing the air vents 14.

The pump is placed in use after removal of the cover cap 72, and during initial inward movement of plunger 22 against the action of spring 54 the shoulder 36 moves into engagement with the edge 40, opening the orifices 48 such that liquid in the barrel 10 between sleeve 30 and valve 50 may enter the plunger 72 circumferentially of the plunger portion 46 along the edge 44 of valve 38. The valve 38 then instantaneously imparts inward movement to the sleeve 30, withdrawing its marginal end 32 and bead 33 from between collar 16 and barrel 10, breaking the liquid seal and admitting air to vents 14. Continued downward movement of the plunger 22 maintains the valve 50 closed, causing flow of the liquid from the barrel 10 into the plunger 22.

Upon release of plunger 22, spring 54 returns it to its extended position, the first action being movement of protuberance 42 into engagement with edge 44, closing the orices 48 and preventing ow of liquid from the plunger 22 into the barrel 10 during outward movement of plunger 22. Such stroke of the plunger 22 to its extended position forces the liquid from the plunger 22 through the outlet 26. At the same time, the valve 50 opens for flow of liquid from dip tube 52 through port 12 into barrel 10. The only sliding interengagement of parts during pumping is between head 31 and barrel 10. Bead 33 engages plunger 22 only during sealing and Valve 38 never engages pluger portion 46.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a hand pump:

a tubular barrel having a liquid receiving port at one end thereof and an air vent adjacent its opposite end;

a collar separate from and extending into the barrel through said opposite end thereof, terminating outwardly of the air vent;

means attaching the collar to the barrel;

a tubular plunger extending into the barrel through said collar and reciprocable toward and away from said port;

said plunger having a liquid outlet exteriorly of the barrel;

a sleeve loosely surrounding the plunger within the barrel and having a part slidably engaging the latter during reciprocation of the plunger,

said sleeve having parts wedged between the collar and the plunger when the latter is extended to the outermost end of its path of travel, presenting a liquid seal,

said plunger having an integral closure at its innermost end, a continuous, inwardly facing shoulder therearound within the sleeve, a continuous protuberance therearound within the sleeve between the closure and the shoulder, and a reduced diameter portion within the sleeve between the shoulder and the protuberance,

said portion having a plurality of liquid inlet orifices therearound; and

a continuous, frusto-conical band integral with the sleeve therewithin, surrounding said portion, and spaced entirely therefrom between the shoulder and the protuberance,

said band having a first continuous, annular edge adjacent the sleeves and facing said shoulder, and a second continuous, free, annular edge spaced from the sleeve and from said portion, parallel with said first edge and facing said protuberance,

said shoulder being axially spaced slightly from said rst edge, and said protuberance engaging said second edge to close the orices when the plunger is extended,

said shoulder being disposed to move into engagement with the rst edge of the band upon slight inward depression of the plunger, whereby to shift said sleeve parts from between the collar and plunger, breaking said seal and admitting air to said vent immediately after opening of said orifices by movement of the protuberance away from said second edge of the band.

2. In a hand pump as claimed in claim 1; and a ball check valve in the barrel at said port for preventing flow of liquid from the barrel through the port during depression of the plunger, and permitting ow of liqiud into the barrel through the port during extension of the plunger.

3. In a hand pump as claimed in claim 1; and

a spring in the barrel between the plunger and said port for yieldably maintaining the plunger extended,

one end of the spring surrounding said closure,

said plunger having a continuous, spring engaging ledge therearound, spaced from the protuberance and facing said port.

4. In a hand pump as claimed in claim 1,

said collar having a continuous, radial bushing therewithin loosely receiving the plunger and spaced outwardly of said marginal end of the sleeve,

said plunger having a continuous, radial stop therearound within the barrel, between the bushing and said marginal end, spaced from the latter and engageable with said bushing for limiting the extent of outward movement of the plunger.

5. In a hand pump as claimed in claim 1, one of said sleeve parts comprising a continuous bead within the sleeve surrounding the plunger and spaced therefrom during pumping.

6. In a hand pump as claimed in claim 1,

said collar having -a continuous integral web surrounding the plunger exteriorly of the barrel and `a cylindrical skirt, integral with the web and terminating in an annular edge,

said skirt surrounding the barrel and being radially spaced therefrom in concentric relationship thereto,

said barrel having an outturned flange therearound disposed to present a space between the flange and said edge of the skirt for receiving the top of a container cap.

7. In a hand pum-p as claimed in claim 6, said web being exible, permitting said skirt to shift away from 5 the ange to accommodate container cap tops of various thicknesses in said space.

8. 4In a hand pump as claimed in claim 6; and a cover cap enclosing the plunger and surrounding thc skirt, said skirt having a series of serrations therearound, said cover cap having a number of ribs therewithin frictionally engaging said serrations.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 975,781 11/1910 Morris 103-192 McConnohie 103-192 Cooprider et a1. 222-384 X Gorman 103-178 X Corsette 103-178 Sagarin 222-182 Cooprider 103--188 WILLIAM L. FREEH, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 

